The present invention relates to a write/read head supporting mechanism for write/read systems such as disk drives (hereinafter HDDs for short) or optical disk drives, and a write/read system comprising read head supporting mechanism.
A prior art magnetic head supporting mechanism used with HDDs is generally built up of a slider having an electromagnetic transducer element, a suspension for supporting the slider, and an interconnecting pattern formed on the surface of a suspension, which pattern is connected to the electromagnetic transducer element.
The electromagnetic transducer element comprises a magnetic pole and coil for converting electric signals to magnetic signals, and vice versa, a magnetoresistance effect element for transforming magnetic signals to voltage signals, and so on, each being fabricated by thin-film techniques, assembly techniques, etc. The slider is formed of non-magnetic ceramics such as Al2O3xe2x80x94TiC or CaTiO3 or a magnetic material such as ferrite, and has a generally cuboidal shape. The surface (air bearing surface) of the slider opposite to a disk medium is processed into a shape suitable for generating pressure to fly the slider on the disk medium at a small spacing. The suspension for supporting the magnetic head is formed by bending, punching or otherwise processing a resilient stainless sheet. The interconnecting pattern has a general structure wherein conductor wires are covered with a resin. Electrical connections using the interconnecting pattern formed on the surface of the suspension are smaller in capacitive components and inductive components than those using lead wires, and so are suitable for high-frequency signal recording.
On the other hand, a HDD is increasingly required to be downsized with ever-higher recording density and, hence, have ever-higher track density and ever-narrower track width. To improve tracking precision in a high-density recording HDD, it is effective to provide the magnetic head with an actuator for effecting a micro-displacement of the electromagnetic transducer element or slider with respect to the suspension. Such an actuator, for instance, is disclosed in JP-A""s 6-259905, 6-309822 and 8-180623.
As the slider is driven by such an actuator as mentioned above, the slider displaces relatively with respect to the suspension. When, at this time, adjacent head constituents come in contact with each other, i.e., the actuator and suspension, the actuator and slider, and the slider and suspension come in contact with each other, the displacement capability of the actuator is impaired by friction, leading to a possibility that the alignment accuracy of an electromagnetic transducer element may decrease. Further, there is a possibility that the reliability of each head constituent may decrease due to friction loads and collision impacts. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the reliability of write/read capability may drop by reason of fear, collisions, dusting, etc. However, the above publications disclosing the provision of the actuator pay no attention to such problems likely to arise between head constituents.
An object of the present invention is to provide a write/read head supporting mechanism for a magnetic or optical disk system having a micro-displacement actuator, by which any impediment to the displacement capability of the actuator is eliminated to achieve reliability improvements.
Such an object is achievable by the constructions of the invention defined below as (1) to (23).
(1) A write/read head supporting mechanism comprising a slider, a suspension and an actuator as at least head constituents,
said slider being provided with an electromagnetic transducer element or an optical module,
said slider being supported on said suspension by way of said actuator, and
said slider being displaceable relatively with respect to said suspension by said actuator, wherein;
space-forming means are provided to form a space between relatively displacing head constituents.
(2) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to (1) above, wherein at least one of an electrode, an interconnecting pattern and a bonding member provided between said relatively displacing head constituents is used as said space-forming means.
(3) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to (2) above, wherein said bonding member has electrical conductivity.
(4) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (3) above, wherein a step provided on at least one of said relatively displacing head constituents is used as said space-forming means.
(5) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (4) above, wherein said space has a size of 5 to 50 xcexcm.
(6) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (5) above, wherein said space-forming means are located symmetrically with respect to a center axis of each of said suspension, actuator and slider, which center axis is substantially parallel with a direction of extension of said suspension.
(7) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (6) above, wherein at least one of said space-forming means is made up of three or more constituent units, with at least three units of said three or more constituent units being not linearly arranged.
(8) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (7) above, wherein a surface of said actuator and a surface of said suspension which are opposite to each other with said space located therebetween are substantially parallel with each other and/or a surface of said actuator and a surface of said slider which are opposite to each other with said space located therebetween are substantially parallel with each other.
(9) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein a lubricant is present as a friction-reducing means in at least one of said spaces, said lubricant containing a solid particle having a particle diameter substantially equal to a length of said spaces.
(10) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to (9) above, wherein said lubricant has said solid particle dispersed in a semi-solid and/or a liquid.
(11) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to (9) or (10) above, wherein said lubricant has electrical conductivity.
(12) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein at least one film composed mainly of an organic material or an inorganic material is present as said friction-reducing means in at least one of said spaces, said film having a thickness substantially equal to a length of said space, and being fixed to only one of two head constituents with said space located therebetween or unfixed to any of said two head constituents.
(13) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to (12) above, wherein said film has electrical conductivity.
(14) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (8) above, wherein at least one of said spaces has as said friction-reducing means and/or said space forming means at least one protuberance extending from at least one of two head constituents with said space located therebetween, said protuberance having a height substantially equal to a length of said space.
(15) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to (14) above, wherein said protuberance is provided with a curved surface in the vicinity of an end thereof.
(16) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to (14) or (15) above, wherein said protuberance comprises a protuberance body and a covering film for covering at least the vicinity of an end thereof, said covering film being formed of a material having a coefficient of friction lower than that of said protuberance body.
(17) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (14) to (16) above, wherein said protuberance is formed on said actuator.
(18) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (14) to (17) above, wherein said protuberance has electrical conductivity.
(19) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (18) above, wherein said actuator makes use of inverse piezoelectric effect or electroresistive effect.
(20) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (19) above, wherein an interconnecting wire to said actuator and/or an interconnecting wire to said slider are formed on said suspension.
(21) The write/read head supporting mechanism according to any one of (1) to (20) above, which includes a main actuator for driving said suspension.
(22) A write/read system which comprises a write/read head supporting mechanism as recited in any one of (1) to (21) above.